Never Too Late
by Tela
Summary: Opportunities lost are usually lost forever. It was simply too late, wasn't it?
1. Lost Opportunity

I'm all about fluffy romance stories. I tend to write dark, angsty things so this is a nice change. I dunno how long this will be but it's a short, easy and hopefully enjoyable read. Maybe like three chapters or so. I dunno yet! Short and sweet though!

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**Lost Opportunity**

_The heart always sees what the mind overlooks... _

_Sometimes it tells us what we missed… _

_Sometimes it makes us figure it out ourselves..._

_Sometimes we never figure it out until it's too late._

Puffy white clouds dotted the sky in various shapes over the port city Alberta. It was what Areina considered a perfect day. Mild temperature, a slight breeze and huge cumulus clouds floating lazily along the horizon. The knight lay on her back near the docks, watching the clouds and making shapes out of them. It was something she had done since she was little.

"Hey Shirley, that one looks like a lunatic!" She pointed at the sky slightly toward her left. The said cloud looked like it had the long floppy ears and a short fluffy tail. Shirley's gaze followed her finger but remained silent. "This is nice…" Areina sighed happily. There was nothing she liked better than relaxing under the warm rays of the sun. She was a pretty mellow person ,but anyone would find this relaxing.

"What're you doing?"

Areina looked up to see her ever-grumpy friend looming above her. The indigo haired blacksmith wore a prepetually annoyed expression that made the knight roll her eyes. "Just because you don't know how to have fun, Phineas, doesn't mean you can come and ruin mine."

"You and your bird-brained friend look ridiculous and _please_ don't call me by my full name. You know I hate it."

"HEY! Shirley has feelings too!"

"Areina…Shirley's a peco peco." Said peco was lying on her back next to Areina with her legs sticking straight in the air. Okay, so she looked slightly silly, but that was no reason to call her names.

"Shut up, Phin_eas_." She emphasized the latter half of his name. The emerald haired knight sat up and patted her very offended peco affectionately. Phin was sharp-tongued and rather mean much of the time but Areina knew better. He was always a good and kindhearted person, he just didn't show it. Ever…unless no one was looking.

"Anyway, I came looking for you to ask if you needed a new sword. It's been a while since I've made you one."

"Aww Phin! You spoil me but yeah, a new sword would be awesome!" she squeaked. "Claymore pretty please? Fire enchanted?"

"What have you got with you?" he asked, leaning down and taking the sword out of its sheath. He starred at it for a moment before a frown crossed his face and looked to Areina accusingly. "The hell? This isn't mine." He swung the sword a bit to test the weight and rolled his eyes. "This is all wrong." It wasn't that the sword wasn't of good quality, it just wasn't made for her.

"Um…I had a mastersmith make it for me…nice isn't it?" She smiled in satisfaction. One thing she loved was to parade an expensive sword. You just felt powerful when you were waving around a very sharp, very expensive sword. It was mostly an ego thing. Yes, she had a rather large ego.

"Can I melt this one down and make a new one?"

"Phin!" she gasped.

"Fine…at least I don't charge you for the equipment I make for you. I bet this cost a fortune."

"Actually…it was free," she grinned slyly.

"Damnit woman."

"Hey, blame my feminine wiles and irresistible charm. I think he's got a thing for me actually." The knight stood and dusted herself off, Shirley doing the same, but glaring at Phineas the entire time. The blacksmith glared right back. "In fact, I'm going to lunch with him today," she added smugly. Sometimes his crankiness got on her nerves so irritating him was the only way to get him back.

"What? Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm a girl and he's a guy. He's cute and gives me free stuff. I'm available and he's looking…should I go on?" she laughed. "I haven't had a date in a while anyway. You scare most of them off." Sometimes he was right in scaring them off and other times, it made her angry. He was just too overprotective for whatever reason. To make her miserable? Most likely.

"So it's a _date_? Good luck with Mr. oh-worship-me-I-make-crappy-weapons mastersmith then," he said with a miffed tone. He stared at the sword, a strong desire to throw it in the nearby ocean. He hated competition. Forging was _his_ game around here. Especially for his friends. Wait—friend. He had acquaintances but only one person he considered a friend. Even if she _did_ own a big stupid chicken.

Of course, when he was in such a "pleasant" mood, the aforementioned master smith had strolled down the path, waving to Areina. Pfft, typical brainless, all looks kind of guy. Wild blond hair, flawless features, muscular (any given smith would have muscles though, it was hard work!) and a smile that would turn any normal girls' legs to jelly. Stupid model boy...

"Areina! My favorite knight! You ready to go to lunch?" he asked, glancing only momentarily at the scowling blacksmith. She nodded and turned to Shirley, patting her head. The peco knew something was up in that moment and seemed to glare at her rider. The mastersmith nudged the knight as if silently telling her to relay something to Shirley.

"Don't look at me like that, missy. They don't allow pecos in the café. Stay here with Phin, okay?"

Phineas gawked at such a suggestion. "Wait, why do I have to baby-sit your giant chicken while you go out with airhead lover boy over there?" he groaned. He had things to do and it didn't include the chicken. "Eh, here, since you won't let me melt this down, I don't want to hang onto it."

The mastersmith decided to ignore the "airhead" comment. "Ahh, nice sword, isn't it? Only the best for her. I used a special ste--"

"It sucks beyond belief," Phin said bluntly, dropping the claymore to the ground. It clattered against the stone and both Areina and pretty boy stared at it for a minute. Mastersmith stared at blacksmith. Blacksmith glared death at the mastersmith. Mastersmith looked confused. Areina almost wanted to shout "fight, fight, fight!" but she refrained.

"Come again?" the mastersmith coughed.

He must not have been used to having someone, especially another blacksmith, insult his craft. It caught him off guard. Phineas didn't reply. He simply used his boot and scooted the blade in front of Areina's feet.

"What, not used to criticism? If you knew anything about Areina, you'd know that she puts too much weight on her right side in the middle of a swing so her blade should be heavier on the left side to balance her swing out. The sword'll be off balance, technically, but used only by her, you'd never know the difference. It doesn't matter how pretty it is. Only the weapons effectiveness."

"So that's why Eric said your claymore was terribly made!" Areina laughed until she became conscious of something. Phin was looking at her with a dark expression, one she very rarely saw directed at her. She knew she should have kept the sword, but she didn't realize that her friend would take it as an insult. She also didn't realize that he specialized it for her. She didn't always think before acting.

"Where's the one I made for you?"

"Um..." To put it bluntly, she was in deep shit. _Very_ deep.

"You didn't..." Phineas gasped. If she had done what he thought she had done, he would kill her and then kill her new "friend". He'd like to mess up that pretty face of his.

"I used it in addition to my own steel to make that sword," Eric explained. He had a feeling that things were about to get ugly if he spoke more about the sword. "Maybe we should head off now. You can…bring Shirley. She could wait outside of the café." The peco appeared to consider it but instead of following her rider, she walked over behind Phineas and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Well that's a first. She likes me better that _him,_" the indigo haired blacksmith smiled smugly. At least the chicken had some sense. Deep down, _very_ deep down he felt little hurt. He had put a lot of work into that claymore for her. His outward façade was calm, but angry.

Areina stared in disbelief at her peco. Shirley had _never_ preferred Phin to _anyone_ else. Especially not her. "Let's go, Shirley," he said as he turned and began to walk back to his shop. The peco dutifully followed him.

Areina shook her head in disbelief again but pulled Eric along toward their lunch destination. Phineas and Shirley reached the shop and forge shortly after. He went to work, even allowing Shirley inside. She flopped down on the floor near a window and watched him silently. The blacksmith ran a hand through his shaggy indigo hair and sighed. He just stood for a moment, eyes falling on a desk drawer across the room.

The contents of that particular drawer could change a lot of things. Well, could have. Things were different now.

He thought back to the previous summer, just under a year ago. He had dragged Areina off to Umbala, grinning deviously the entire time. He wouldn't tell her why but he knew she would like it. He didn't care for the event himself but she was the sort of person who would.

_"Phin! Why are we in Umbala?" she asked. She loved the place with it's tropical feel and rather interesting natives but she still wanted to know why he had brought her here. It was drawing close to evening as well. He simply stuck his tongue out and pulled her across the planked walkways toward the caves. She didn't even have time to look around!_

_They ran past the rather grumpy natives and huge enchanted wooden golems. It was a long way to their destination, but it didn't feel that way. Areina liked times like this. Phin only let himself have fun around her and it was nice to see this side of him. "Finally!" he exclaimed as he saw the entrance he was looking for. _

_"I've never been this far in," the knight remarked. _

_He simply grabbed her arm and led her into a dark, damp tunnel. They walked about twenty feet when she saw the end of the tunnel. As they emerged, she stopped dead in her tracks. At one time, this place must have been a cave but the ceiling had fallen out long ago it appeared. Waterfalls fell from above, giving life to the lush vegetation. There was a raised path that he nudged her along as she stared at their surroundings._

_There were trees and flowers of all sorts but Phineas gave her no time to look at them. It would have been a little difficult anyway since night had fallen. Finally, he stopped and pushed her down to the soft grass of the path. "Now we wait," he said, sitting beside her. She stared at him suspiciously. "Don't look at me like that. I took the day off to bring you here so shut up and wait."_

_They waited in silence for a good half hour, watching the waterfall a short distance from them. Then, all at once thousands of tiny lights lights flared up near the misty base of the falls. The soft, slow blinking of the fireflies was quite relaxing. She leaned back and sent the blacksmith a lazy smile. _

_He simply glanced down at the small thing in his hands, hidden from Areina's view. He waited. He waited longer. Soon the emerald haired knight was fast asleep and his chance had disappeared._

Things were different now. It was simply too late.

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A/N**: I know next to nothing about swords, just so you know. Anyway, review! 


	2. Stolen Chances

**Stolen Chances**

One month was normal. One month was the getting to know each other phase and the typical amount of time needed to see if a relationship has any chance of working.

Two months was also normal. You might really enjoy a person in a relationship but this is usually the time when you figure out if this person was better off as a friend rather than a romantic interest.

Three months meant you were getting serious about a relationship. This was when you start to think ahead, planning and envisioning just how far a relationship might actually go.

Six months…well, the two people in the relationship obviously think they have something special. Too bad for the loser that sits by and watches, angry and maybe slightly jealous. He's plain out of luck. He should have made a move sooner.

A whole god damned YEAR meant the relationship was solid and there didn't seem to be signs of separation. The angry loser would remain pissed off for the _rest of his life_ because he was too much of a chicken to say anything.

"A giant fucking chicken!" the blacksmith growled, pointing at Shirley who he was yet again baby-sitting. "I'm no better than a giant stupid chicken like you!" He really had resorted to conversing with the peco because he was ever the antisocial bully. Shirley pecked at him for the insult. Phineas swatted at her, shook his head, and went back to hammering the hot orange steel of his current project. Sparks flew as he hammered furiously. The peco watched with a bored look as she wandered around the room, exploring curiously.

"Knock, knock!" Phin heard a voice say as the door to his forge opened, "Hey Phin!" Phineas ceased hammering, used his arms to wipe the sweat from his face and looked toward the door. Holy hell. What was _he_ doing here? Mr. Pretty boy Eric suddenly decided to drop by for a visit? Could his day get worse? Not possible. "What're you up to?" the mastersmith asked. He was just trying to get on good terms with Phin. What a stupid question, Phin thought. What did it _look_ like he was doing?

"Out before I shove this hot sword up your ass," the blacksmith threatened. Eric's eyes widened and turned around, quickly leaving Phin's forge. There was no doubt in his mind that the blacksmith would make good of his word. He was the grumpiest, meanest person he had ever met. Truly! He really couldn't see why Areina liked him or how in the world they ever became friends. Maybe the term "opposites attract" was a good explanation for it. Much to his dismay, she requested that he really try to become friends with Phin. No one could say he didn't at least try.

Phineas had to admit that Eric, despite being an annoying pretty boy, was not a bad person. He was a nice guy and his feelings about Areina were honest. He could have been friends with him if he wasn't in a relationship with his best friend. The blacksmith set down the sword he was working on and glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was nearly five o' clock. He was supposed to meet another one of his "friends" for a drink in an hour and a half. Going early wouldn't hurt he figured and cleaned up his forge before leaving.

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"So, like I was saying, he just has no idea how to interact with women. I swear, my brother will become an old, wifeless hermit," a dark haired knight by the name of Jenny sighed. Areina just laughed and passed her friend a piece of the apple she had sliced up. They were sitting on a bench near the merchant guild enjoying the weather. The sun had begun to sink down the horizon but there was still plenty of light for a while. Jenny munched on the apple slice thoughtfully, "When a guy asks you to marry him, he needs to put some thought into it. You know, take you somewhere special and for god sake original and romantic! I'd love for a guy to propose to me in a secluded, tropical paradise."

Areina nodded in agreement, "Like somewhere around Umbala? The place with waterfalls, flowers and stuff where the cave collapsed?" She had only been there once but it was etched in her memory.

"Oh that would be perfect. I heard that there's an awesome light show by the fireflies in the summer," Jenny sighed dreamily. Areina knew from experience that it was beautiful. She always wondered what made Phin take her there. He was more thoughtful than people gave him credit for. She did know exactly why people thought he was a jerk, because he _was_ a jerk to most people.

"Phin took me there once, to see the fireflies. It really was pretty." Jenny stopped chewing and stared at her. Was Areina really talking about _Phineas_?

"He what? When? What happened?!"

"Nothing happened. It was about two years ago that he took me there. He made me wait forever but the sights were worth it," she recalled fondly. She would like to go back sometime but summer was nearing its end so that trip would have to wait.

"So he didn't do anything? Say anything?"

She thought back, "No, not really. He just looked kind of, I don't know, angry. Not at _me_ but about something."

Jenny considered this new information and Phineas. If you looked at it right, it seemed like he was going to propose to Areina but he didn't obviously. The knight knew Areina and Phineas had never been anything more than friends, so the idea of a proposal seemed a little farfetched. Either way, she wondered if her friend had thought of the same thing, "Ehh, did you ever think that Phin was going to…you know…propose? While you were there?"

"The notion swam around before I fell asleep and nothing happened. Except that he threw a rock at me to wake me up so I'm thinking he was just doing something nice for me." She loved Phin to death but she didn't know if it was _that_ kind of love or whether he even thought of her in such a way. Jenny was quite sure that Phin must have had every intention of asking Areina to marry him but something must have stopped him.

"Hello ladies!" Eric called. He looked to have just come from the merchant guild. He approached the two knights with a wide smile, "I need to borrow Areina for a minute, Jenny." Jenny simply shrugged and nudged the green haired knight from the bench. If she had to be honest, she liked Eric more than Phin. He was just so friendly and lovable. Phineas was not. Areina had told her repeatedly that he wasn't always so mean. She would only believe that when she saw it. Then, her jaw dropped. Eric had gotten down on one knee.

Areina was slightly dumbstruck. Her mastersmith had kneeled and taken her hand. How unoriginal, Jenny thought as she rolled her eyes. "I think you know what I'm going to ask so I just need an answer," Eric grinned.

"I wasn't…quite expecting this," Areina laughed nervously. Did she want to marry him? Well, she had been with him for over a year and she couldn't really picture herself without him around. Her decision seemed like a no-brainer. "Okay," she smiled.

"Okay yes?"

"Okay yes," she affirmed. She mostly felt it was a good answer but a small part of her felt the opposite. It was probably just nerves, wasn't it?

"Oh shit." The newly engaged couple turned to look at Jenny and figure out why she had said "oh shit". The knight clamped her hand over her mouth and shook her head. She suddenly regretted saying something. Areina eyed her friend suspiciously and turned to look behind her. No one was there.

"It was nothing. Just thinking about something," Jenny said quickly. She had actually seen something that confirmed her suspicions. Phin had walked by and seen everything. The couple didn't notice, obviously, and he made his retreat before they could see him. Jenny did see an unmistakable expression of despair before he composed himself. Phineas was the kind of person that showed emotion for only a split second before he went back to angry or neutral mode. She would have to find him and talk with him later after she pulled Areina aside.

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"Laaayne, you finally made it," came a slur of words.

The alchemist stopped and scratched his head. He hadn't come here to baby-sit but what worried him more was that Phineas was completely wasted. The blacksmith enjoyed a drink or two but he never, _ever_ got to _this_ point so something must have been bothering him. A lot. "Phin? How long have you been here?" Hopefully it hadn't been too long but he supposed a person didn't need that long to consume the amount of alcohol the blacksmith apparently had.

"Ahh…'bout an hour…?"

At least he could still speak mostly clearly but the glazed expression was not such a good thing. Layne hauled the blacksmith out of his chair and steadied the wobbly man. "Let's get you back home," he sighed. He had assumed they were going to meet and chat as they usually did.

The managed to make it out of the bar with minimal trouble and proceeded to make their way back to Phin's place. Oddly enough, the blacksmith remained quiet the whole way. Layne would ask him about what was troubling him when they reached his house. The moon had just risen and the streetlights were flickering on as they walked or rather, Layne walked and Phin stumbled. Finally, they reached their destination. Phineas pulled himself away from the alchemist and found his way into his forge. "Phin, what _are_ you trying to do?" Layne asked as he followed the blacksmith inside the forge.

Phineas turned to face the alchemist, "Tryin' t'see if I c'n feel worse'n before I started…" he drifted off.

"Did it work?"

"Yeah," he groaned as he stumbled over to his desk. He yanked open one of the drawers, rummaging through it. His vision was less than clear at the moment so it was difficult to find what he was looking for. Especially in the dark.

"Did it help?"

"Fuck no." Well that answer was clear as day. Layne inched his way over to the obviously frustrated blacksmith and turned on the lamp on the desk. When he thought about it, he had never seen Phin in such disarray, drunk or not. He was mean, sure, but he never lost control of his temper or other emotions. Phin abruptly stopped his search and held a small object in front of Layne's face, "Get rid of this. S'gonna drive me crazy if it stays."

"A ring?" the alchemist asked as he gingerly took the ring. It wasn't just _any_ ring though.

"Yeah, idiot," Phin sighed. If that particular thing stayed within his possession, he would only be reminded of his failure and that he no longer had a chance. Once the ring was gone, he could attempt to endure the sight of Areina and Eric…together. Actually, that thought made him sick. Literally. He darted back out of the forge and proceeded to decorate the street with his lunch. Okay, so it wasn't that thought that made him sick but it was certainly the trigger.

"Ugh, that's gross," two feminine voices said in unison. Phin wiped his mouth and glanced up at Areina and Jenny. Shirley trotted up behind them a moment later. Damn chicken was allowed to roam freely too much, Phin thought. Areina moved to the blacksmith's side to see how he was and Jenny noticed Layne standing in the doorway, "What happened to him?" Layne shrugged, not exactly sure what to tell her.

"He's drunk and upset about something I guess. Something to do with this," he held up the ring, "I think."

"You jerk, put it away'r get rid of it," came a growl from Phin.

Jenny, being closer to the alchemist, saw just what he was holding up. Her suspicions were exactly right. The question remaining was why hadn't Phin done anything? Clearly he was unhappy with the current situation and had his eyes on Areina before Eric came along. Unfortunately, now was not a good time to discuss this and besides, it was none of her or Layne's business. She could squeeze the juicy details from Areina later. "I'll go put this away until you can think clearly, Phin," Layne said as he disappeared inside. He emerged a minute later and took Jenny's arm. He knew she would stay and try to catch the gossip. "Let's go, Jenny, I think she can handle Phin."

"We'll talk tomorrow!" Jenny whispered to the knight as they walked past. Areina had indeed caught a glimpse of what the alchemist had held up but Phineas was in no shape to hold a discussion. He was leaning against her, one arm around her shoulders. He hadn't said anything for a few minutes so she couldn't be sure of his thoughts.

"Let's go inside, Phin." He grunted in response and used her for balance as they walked around the forge to his house. After they hunted his person for the keys to the door, they finally made their way inside. They both tripped over various things on the floor as they walked toward the bedroom. The blacksmith was a slob. The only place he actually kept clean was his shop and forge. It had been her experience, though, that _most_ men were slobs. "Here we go," she pushed him lightly toward the bed. He took slow steps, looking rather zombie-like. "I'll be right back." Shirley remained in the room, staring at the blacksmith, head cocked to the side.

He felt like shit. Shit that had been stepped on multiple times and set on fire. Porings, that alcohol burned when it came back up. He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore the peco in the room. From the back of his mind, fuzzy as it may have been, he had watched the events of the night. It had been a bad, _bad_ night. Suddenly, a vicious bright light assaulted his eyes. A string of curses came from him and then the overhead light clicked off.

"Sorry," Areina sighed, "here's some water." He sat up, took the glass from her, and took a few sips to quell the burning in his throat. She watched him for a few minutes, the dim light from the hallway illuminating his form just a bit. He looked terrible. She was interrupted from her thoughts by his voice.

"Staying or leaving?" She knew he would be fine if she left him but then again, maybe he wouldn't. While she considered the option, he kicked off his boots, took his shirt off, and flung it at the peco who squawked in annoyance. He then lay back down and rolled over, facing away from her. She had a slight reservation but she removed her shoes and armor, setting them by the door. She didn't like that things had suddenly become weird for her. She sent a glance to Shirley, wondering what her peco thought of the situation but she had already settled into sleep on the floor. Some help she was. The knight walked to the bed and lay down next to Phin.

She could only wonder how tomorrow would go. Furthermore, Jenny hadn't finished what she was talking about before they arrived here. Did Phin know that Eric had proposed? He must have known somehow. In spite of the numerous thoughts running around in her mind, she managed to fall asleep.

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**A/N**: I COULDN'T DO IT! I tried sooo hard not to include any overly dramatic angsty things in this but it reared its ugly head xD Didn't I say I was going to make this one fluffy? I think I did. 

Tellie FAILS. Ahaha X3


	3. Recovered Losses

So this is the third and final chapter for this short story. A little long overdue, I know.

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Recovered Losses 

Morning came quickly by the time Phin had managed to drag himself out of bed, Areina had already left for work. She was a good friend to him. Admittedly, he didn't like people to help him. He was still glad that she cared enough to do so. He needed to thank and apologize to her later. Layne needed an apology too.

His memories of the previous night were at best, quite fuzzy. He'd worry about it later. At the moment, he had a slight headache and he was dying of thirst. He glanced over at his clock on the bedside table and sighed. It was after ten in the morning. It was also two hours after he _should_ have opened shop.

After a long shower and a small breakfast of toast and milk (his stomach argued against anything more), he ambled out to his shop. After unlocking the front door, he flipped his sign to 'open' and went inside. Flicking on the lights, he grabbed a cloth from the main counter and wiped down a few of the displays around the shop.

It wasn't long before a few customers made their way in. He answered a few questions, placed a few orders, and the usual business day things. By four in the afternoon, he felt okay for the most part. Last night was a distant and blurry memory and his stomach felt normal. He leaned on the counter, watching various customers browse the shop.

Then the door opened and Jenny waltzed in. Great, it was just whom he wanted to see. Rather than walk over to Phin, she simply become a browser herself.

"Excuse me, you're Phineas, right?" he heard a female ask him. He turned to see a woman who looked oddly familiar though he knew he had never met her. He straightened up and managed to smile vaguely.

"Yes ma'am. Do you need help with anything?"

"Well, my son said you liked the muffins at my bakery so I brought you some as a thank you." She set a basket on the counter filled to the brim with muffins of various flavors. Phin was both perplexed and overjoyed. He wasn't sure why he was getting the muffins, but here they were. It was certainly a lift in his day.

"Not that I don't want the muffins--because I do--I'm just not sure why I'm getting them," he replied.

A surprised look crossed her face and she smiled. "My son's name is Darek. I thought he'd have told you. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you're so generous. I know the sword you made for him isn't cheap and to just give it to him for free..."

"Oh! You're his mom? I didn't realize." He had forgotten all about doing that. He felt bad for the kid. He knew his family couldn't afford to buy him a quality sword for his training so he decided to make him one. Darek was a good kid and actually helped with the shop every so often. Phin figured it was the least he could do. One sword wasn't going to put a hole in his pocket. "It's really not a big deal though. Thanks for the muffins."

"Come by the bakery and say hello some time." She then turned and strode out the door, waving as she went.

"Mmm. Those look fantastic."

Phin nearly jumped as he heard Jenny's voice. She was suddenly right next to him. "Not for you," he growled and pulled the basket away from her. He set it on a shelf behind him and turned back to the knight with a frown. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

She shrugged. "I left early. Areina had everything handled. So anyway, I didn't know you could be such a nice guy." She had overheard his conversation with the muffin lady. It surprised her that Phin could be that nice to someone. She supposed there was quite a bit people didn't know about him.

The blacksmith rolled his eyes. "That's why you don't judge people. Now what do you want?" He really did not want to deal with her. She opened her mouth far too much. "I don't have all day and I don't want to spend it looking at _you_. You're annoying."

"I'll ignore those remarks for now. I came by because I wanted to ask you something."

"Ugh. What, oh irritating one, did you want to ask?"

"Were you going to propose to Areina when you took her to Umbala?"

Phineas went rigid. He was _not_ going to have this conversation. Especially with Jenny. His frown turned into an outright scowl. "It's--I don't--just shut up. It isn't any of your business and it doesn't matter anyway. I'm sure she's eager to marry Eric and that's that. Now go away."

The auburn haired knight regarded the blacksmith for a moment before she decided what to say. It was painfully obvious that the situation was hurting Phin. She didn't really get along with him, but she still didn't want him to be like this. She wasn't cruel. "You know, I was talking to her before we ran into you last night and she said things that made me think otherwise. I don't think she's as eager as you might think."

_"Sooo, are you excited?" Jenny asked as they left Areina's house. They had planned to go over to Phin's to relay the news. Jenny didn't mention that Phin probably knew already. In fact, she was not so sure it was a good idea to visit him._

_"I guess."_

_"You guess? What kind of answer is that?"_

_Areina shrugged. She didn't really know. Actually, she wasn't sure about any of it. "I'm just wondering if I gave him the right answer."_

_"Do you love him?"_

_"Yes..."_

_"I suppose that depends on what kind of love it is, huh? Hmm. Do you love him like you love...umm...Phin?" _

_Areina stopped walking and stared at her friend. Was she still thinking about the Umbala story? She thought they had discussed that already. Phin didn't care for her like _that_. "No, it's different. I just...felt like I was _supposed_ to say yes to Eric. Even if..." she trailed off. _

_"Okay. Just asking." Jenny was more perceptive than people tended to give her credit for. It was easy to see that Areina was trying to figure out just what she wanted and it may not include Eric._

As Jenny watched Phin, she could tell that he cared more for Areina than anyone knew. He wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve like Eric. Today, though, he was so easy to read. It was just so unusual. She watched him run a hand through his violet hair, his frustration visible on his face. "Phin, I think you should tell her."

He grimaced at her suggestion. "Have you lost you mind, woman?" He lowered his voice, "You want to know why I've never said anything to her? We've been friends for a long time and that's all. Whether or not I love her doesn't make a difference. She doesn't see me that way. There's no point in ruining a perfectly good friendship because I want more." His gaze left the knight and traveled to the floor as he crossed his arms.

It was disturbing that he had just admitted all of that to Jenny of all people. He immediately regretted saying them.

"Sooo you do love her then." Jenny smiled smugly. She knew she was right; she just wanted him to say it himself.

"Shut up, Jenny."

"Well, thanks for the info, Phin! I've got some things to doooo," she said in a singsong voice. She turned and skipped out the door, humming cheerfully as she went. Her mission was to go back to work and find Areina. Then, she would sort this whole thing out for them. Sure, it may be a little meddlesome, but they would thank her later.

"Oh my god," Phin murmured to himself. He would kill her later.

--------------------

"Areina! Areeeeeinaaaa!"

The green haired knight looked up from her students to the voice on the other side of the training yard. "Jenny? Why're you back already?"

Jenny stopped in front of her friend and grinned. "So I was talking to Phin a little bit ago an--"

"You _what_?"

"Don't interrupt! I have to tell you some stuff."

"I'm concerned that Phin even spoke to you." Looking back at the group of seven year olds, she sighed. "Go spar. _Wood_ swords only!" Turning back to Jenny, she crossed her arms. "What do you need to tell me?" Jenny's eyes lit up.

"Okay, so I went to his shop. I did learn that he's pretty generous by the way." Areina nodded. This was something she already knew. "Anyway, I was a hundred percent correct in thinking he was going to propose to you in Umbala. He said that he didn't because he didn't want to ruin your friendship. Also, he did see Eric propose to you. That's why I cussed." Jenny took a breath and waited for her friend's reaction.

Areina wasn't sure what to say. First, there was the fact that Phin had told Jenny this information. Second was the information itself. She had always been curious about Phin's feelings toward her but she was too chicken to ask.

Jenny smiled smugly. "He loves yoooou, oh yes he does."

"I uh, I need to--I don't know."

Jenny pushed Areina toward the training ground exit. "I'll finish class. You go do whatever it is you need to do."

Areina bit her lip and nodded hesitantly. There was one question she had to figure out an answer for. What--or more accurately _whom_--did she want? She didn't want to be in this situation. It wasn't fair to anyone. She wandered slowly down the street, not sure which direction to go. Phin's forge was one way and Eric's forge was another way.

She decided on neither. Instead, she walked out to the port and sat at the end of an empty dock. How in the world was she supposed to make a decision like this? She thought and thought, but no answer came to mind. She cared about them both and she didn't want to hurt either of them.

"Areina?"

She jumped at the sound of a voice behind her. She clutched at her chest and turned to see Eric standing before her. He was smiling as usual, but looked contemplative. He laughed a bit and took a seat to her left, their legs dangling over the water. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay. Just wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

"So I wanted to talk about some things. Now, I don't want you to say anything until I've said everything I want to say." He paused for a minute, appearing to mull over his words as his hazel eyes settled on her. He took one of her hands and held in his much larger one. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"No rush," she said.

He sighed. "Well, the way you answered my proposal yesterday made me think about a lot of things. I know you love me. That was never an issue. However...it might not be the same sort of love I have for you. I just don't want you to marry me because you think you have to or that you think it's what you should do." He smiled gently, turning his gaze out to the sparkling waters.

"The reason I'm saying all this is because I...I see the way you look at Phin sometimes. I want you to be happy in the decision you make. I could never force you to marry me when it might not be what your heart really wants. Ahh, I'm done I think."

She cringed. She could hardly believe her ears. "I...what about you?"

He shrugged. "Don't worry about me. I'm smarter than people give me credit for. I was prepared for something like this. I knew that proposing was taking a shot in the dark."

"And if I chose you?"

He wrapped a long arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his side. "I couldn't be happier. Just remember what I said."

"And...if I chose...someone else?" she ventured. She didn't dare say Phineas. She didn't want to implicate things.

Eric kissed the top of her head. "I would understand. If you didn't choose me, I'd know that there was someone else in the world for me. I'd be a little sad of course, but time heals all wounds, right?"

The knight groaned. Why did he have to be so good-natured? She wouldn't have been so calm and understanding if she were in his place. "You're just--I don't know. You're too good to me." She wrapped her arms around his midsection, hugging him tightly. "I don't know what I want yet. I need to think about things a little more."

He nodded. "Take all the time you need. Just be honest with me when you decide. I've got to go close up my shop for the day, okay?" She released him and stood with him. He began to walk back toward town, but stopped and turned to look at her. "One last thing. Remember that I'll love you no matter what, okay? I don't want to just break off our friendship if you decide that it's not me you want."

"Thanks," she murmured as he waved and walked out of sight. He did not make this any easier for her. She needed to go talk to Phin now. She was far more nervous about seeing him than she was about Eric.

It was just after five in the evening when she reached Phin's shop. The closed sign was up but she knew he would still be inside. She gingerly opened the door and peered inside. Phin was sitting on a stool behind the counter, pen in hand, most likely looking over the day's orders. He glanced up at the sound of the door opening with an unchanging expression. She closed the door behind her and stood, unsure of what to say.

Phineas broke the silence. "Hey."

"Hey Phin." Her mind was still blank. "Um...feeling any better?" she mumbled.

He smiled faintly, setting his pen down. "Yeah. Thanks for helping me out last night." She nodded, her words still failing her. She had never had this problem before with Phin. Another minute went by and he sighed. "I know you have something to say, so say it. It doesn't do you any good to stand there and not say anything."

"Er...sorry. I just--there's--I don--"

He cut her off. "It's not that hard, is it? Really Areina."

She inhaled deeply. "So," she began slowly, "I heard you talked to Jenny earlier?"

"Unfortunately. I'm sure she didn't keep her big mouth shut so I'm going to assume she told you what I said to her. She also told me what you two talked about last night." The blacksmith frowned. He knew he should not have blurted out those things. Especially to Jenny. Urgh, he could be so stupid sometimes. "Now the question is what do you want? You have to make a decision. You can't leave me in the dark."

"I know, Phin."

"You...also saw that...damn ring last night." It was a struggle for him to say those words. It was basically admitting _everything_. There was no turning back. He buried his face in his hands and sighed heavily. This was damn frustrating.

"I-I did."

"And?" He glanced up from his hands. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going on in her head.

"I wish you had just asked me in Umbala..." she murmured softly.

Phineas could have banged his head against the counter. Why oh _why_ did things have to turn out like this? It was easy. He was, as he had told himself before, a giant fucking chicken. If he had this information back then, he would not have hesitated. He got up from his seat and walked around the counter, over to Areina. He stood in front of her, his arms glued to his sides.

There was no use in clinging to what little dignity he had left. His normal assertion had gone into hiding. "Areina. Please...you have to tell me what you want. Y-you can't...hell...you've really fucked me up," he laughed anxiously. He wasn't accustomed to coming face to face with feelings and such. "I don't like it though. Just say what you need to say and be done with it. I can't deal with it."

She stepped closer and peered up at him. "It shouldn't be this hard, you know? So you saw us yesterday?"

He groaned. "Yes."

"I...I love you, just not like I love him."

"Areina, that isn't a good enough answer. I need to know what you want from me." His uncertainness was unnerving to her. She had never seen Phin act so...so vulnerable. She didn't like that she made him feel that way. And it was all because of her.

She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. "He'll be one of my dearest friends for a very long time, of course, but I love you, Phin. I always did. I just never knew that you felt the same."

He slowly put his arms around her shoulders. "I guess that makes two of us."

---------------------

Phineas stood with his arms crossed the next day at the Amatsu pier, waiting. He felt more like himself today. The salty sea breeze refreshed him a bit. He didn't feel the crushing weight of his stupidity from the other night anymore either. He had already apologized to Layne and discussed numerous things with Areina.

This morning, he had gotten a message from Eric. Phin could only assume that Areina had spoken to the mastersmith about their situation. "Morning," he heard the typical, though oddly cheerful voice. He shifted and turned to see the mastersmith walking down the dock.

"Hey Eric," he replied. When he approached, he stopped in front of Phin still smiling. "Uh...no offense, but why the hell are you so happy?"

Eric shrugged. "Sunny disposition. It runs in the family. Anyway, I just wanted to talk to you about...things. You know."

"About that--"

"No way. Me first. I'm not mad, though I probably should be. The thing is, I took a step back and looked at things from a different perspective. I know she'll be happy with you. She picked you long before I ever met her. I won't stop being her friend, just so you know." His smile faded slightly. "I do think that if she's not for me, then someone else is. I'm not so worried about that. It just might take some getting used to."

"I know." Both stood in an awkward silence. Phin wasn't exactly sure what to say to the mastersmith. It wasn't a particularly nice thing to talk about. There was one thing he knew he _should_ say, now that thing had turned out this way. "Umm, sorry for being such an asshole toward you all this time."

Eric's face lit up again. He was the sort of person that was easy to make happy. No other emotions really suited him. "Well, I know why you were like that so I didn't really blame you too much. Thanks for saying that though." After a moment of consideration, he extended his hand toward the violet haired blacksmith who in turn lifted a skeptical brow.

"You must be joking."

"No, I'm not, Phin. Friends?"

Reluctantly, the blacksmith reached out and shook Eric's hand firmly. Eric smiled broadly, but it disappeared rapidly as he looked back and saw Shirley loping down the dock at a rather dangerous speed. Phin cursed as the peco barreled into the two of them and knocked them to the wooden boards of the dock. She sat on top of the both of them cooing happily.

"Can't...breathe..."

"Damn...chicken..."

* * *

**A/N:** One down, two stories to go? CoS is next for an update I believe. The DL sequel should be shortly after if not about the same time. 


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